A surprise pick for PWI's fourth ever two-time #1 - or is it a surprise, really?

Triple H (2000) joins Bret Hart (1993-4), Steve Austin (1998-9) and John Cena (2006-7) as a repeat offender. H is the first man to take the topper in non-consecutive years - and winning nine years apart is no mean feat, son-in-law or not.

Having finally gotten around to dropping $9.95 on MY copy, I couldn't help but notice that somebody else has already bothered to type it in - I found it via Opie & Anthony's place (wackbag.com) - so let's put it right here!

(Your "added value" is that I've added last year's positions where applicable. I believe I caught MOST of the name changes but stand ready to be corrected!)

(To see previous years' threads, click on the ol' "PWI 500" graphic to get to the tagged page.)

If I'm REALLY bored, later I'll type up the list of 194 names making up this year's "Farewell" list. I'm not that bored. I WILL tell you that the highest dropout was the "retired" Ric Flair (2008 #19) followed by Mr. Kennedy (#35 - listed with "DL") and JBL (#40, also retired). Chuck Palumbo (#66, inactive? Didn't make PWI's list), Mitsuharu Misawa (#87, deceased), Hardcore Holly (#92), Charly Manson (#98), Elijah Burke (#99) and Toshiaki Kawada (#100) round out those from last year's 100 that didn't show up in this year's list.

The conversation I found myself in with the cashier went thusly:

Him: You big-time into wrestling?Me: Well...(ponders response...opts for easy way out)...I can't help myself when it comes to buying that thing. It's only once a year!Him: Yeah....I still have my old NWO T-shirt...Me: Hard to believe that's ten years ago, isn't it?Him: Yeah. I keep hoping TNA will be good. Me: ...Him: But it's not.Me: Mmmmmm. (laughs)

I am not going through all of this list, but picking a few that are either too low or too high, because well its list and its here.

1 3 Triple H- Way too high. I don't think he has had a great match all year. Orton and him don't gel as they used or if they ever did. I say number 30 at least.

2 29 Chris Jericho- Should be number 1.

3 9 John Cena- A little too high, but not as bad as HHH. He had some nice matches here and there, but again nothing epic. Probably 10.

4 5 Edge- Number 2 even with the injury, he was on fire.

5 1 Randy Orton- I actually think lower. He had a few great storylines with Legacy and destroying the McMahons. Yet, he has done ok with them to almost bad. As stated above, his matches with HHH have been just ok. I would say 9 since he hasn't been terrible with the belt, just kinda average.

8 24 CM Punk-Yeah, he has come on of late, so maybe put him in the top five.

9 84 Sting- I think this is generous sorta like Flair was higher then he should be on these list. I say 15.

11 6 The Undertaker-I am kinda ok with this spot, but beside Mania, he really didn't have that many great matches or runs last year. Yet, it was a hell of a match and feud.

12 2 Kurt Angle-He should be top ten. Even though overexposed, Kurt is still one of the top ten wrestlers on the planet.

13 18 Jeff Hardy- Like Punk, he has been good all year and probably would be in my top 8.

14 7 Shawn Michaels-Unlike Taker, Shawn had some great matches with Jericho. He would be my number 3 even after missing all that time.

16 15 Batista- I am almost ok with that since I did enjoy his matches with HBK. Yet, I think this about 14 places too high. He really has regressed even with the fans as well as ability.

18 222 Jack Swagger-Maybe a bit high, but I get the feeling this is more of a future pick. He was a good ECW champion, but he still feels a bit green to me.

19 21 A.J. Styles-BULLSHIT! Top five, no doubt.

20 41 Matt Hardy- No, move him down 30 spots.

21 -- Jeff Jarrett- Too high by ten spots. Even though he had an awesome feud with Kurt, the rest of his matches were just ok. WCW DVD nailed it right with him, he is not as over as he thinks he is.

25 51 The Big Show-In the last month, he has been good, but prior to that no. He needs to back to 51.

26 59 Rey Mysterio Jr.- Rey has been having a great summer, so I say move him into the top 15.

28 14 Christian- Like Rey, needs to move up ten spots.

29 4 Samoa Joe- Before his turn, I would say top ten, now. I think he has been half assing it and I really don't blame him if he is. I think 25.

30 45 Suicide-Which one? N/A has far as I am concerned.

31 62 Shelton Benjamin-Too high, he is getting better, but his fall and winter were terrible.

32 70 Alex Shelley-Top 15 same goes with his tag partner. Best Tag team in the business that gets no love.

33 23 MVP- I am ok with this.

34 -- Mick Foley- I am ok with this as well. I marked out for his Lockdown win, so I give him the pass. But, his turn was very akward and that is why I think he went back to face as quickly as he turned.

35 76 Kofi Kingston-Should be higher. He is making the US title meaningful again and he stole the Money in the Bank match which is an achievement considering Punk, MVP, Christian and Shelton were involved.

37 33 Kane-Really? Top 60.

38 34 Booker T- I wish I could say its ok, but Booker T has suffered in MEM more then anyone else. I say top 60.

46 43 John Morrison-Move Twenty spots. His face turn is actually working due to having awesome matches.

64 63 Carlito-Top 200.

83 27 Jay Lethal-Sad considering who is ahead of him and his spot last year. He needs a bigger push, but 83 is too low for him. Top 50.

86 126 Matt Morgan-ok, but maybe a bit high.

87 151 Mike Knox- No, top 300.

93 195 Consequences Creed-See Jay Lethal.

97 91 Santino Marella- Ok, considering his matches are more comedy, but his is the most entertaining thing on Raw.

104 114 Tommy Dreamer- He should be top 50. This has been his best year since the old ECW days.

105 186 Kevin Nash- Top 150.

I think thats about it, once you get past the top 120, it gets messy, but I doubt any of them would crack the top 50 which is the important one. I don't know indy or Japan or Mexico guys, so I give them a pass.

You're kind of all over the place there. HHH hasn't had that many great matches and thus doesn't deserve number one, but MCMG - who have done pretty much nothing of note and barely featured in a good-length match - should be top fifteen? If we're basing it on the actual in-ring year these guys have had, MCMG are right where they should be. And I can name ten guys right now who are better than Angle 2009, without even trying.

That said, I'm struggling to find justification for HHH being number one, either from a "smart" perspective or a "PWI" perspective. Jericho seems like such a clear choice on both counts.

MCMG have been in some of the best TNA PPV matches this year. I think they are underused which I am not going to count against them. They also had some great storylines in the fall and winter of last year like Suicide and Lethal Consequences. I do think they are top 15 talent and are highlights of their show.

If the top ten guys who put ahead of Kurt are some indy guys and luchadors no one has heard of, I don't want to hear it. Kurt is still a champion who is credible and is a great heel. He also had a great feud with Jeff plus his role in the MEM has only cemented his career. I am not saying top five guys, but defiantly top 10.

Okay, I've been coming to this board for.. apparently 7 years, now, according to my profile... and I've read this list every year. This year, being the first time that I've actually paid a lot of attention to the (relatively) local indies, I actually know a few people on the list. Which causes me to wonder... Is there actual criteria as to who gets on the list? Is it just PWI randomly selecting the workers and putting them in some semblance of order? I'm not bitching about the order or anything, just curious.

Randy Orton should be #1, as he won the Royal Rumble and beat up all those people and won all those matches.

1 3 Triple H- I don't think he has had a great match all year.

HHH vs. Jeff Hardy at No Mercy stands as the current last great match of Hunter's career. His match with John Cena at Night of Champions was really good too. Other than that, not much to write home about for I Am The Best At What I Do, but Jeff Hardy has really been the perfect opponent for him in all the ways that Randy Orton isn't.

Originally posted by JustinShapiroRandy Orton should be #1, as he won the Royal Rumble and beat up all those people and won all those matches.

1 3 Triple H- I don't think he has had a great match all year.

HHH vs. Jeff Hardy at No Mercy stands as the current last great match of Hunter's career. His match with John Cena at Night of Champions was really good too. Other than that, not much to write home about for I Am The Best At What I Do, but Jeff Hardy has really been the perfect opponent for him in all the ways that Randy Orton isn't.

Then again Jeff Hardy has been the perfect opponent for everybody except for Matt Hardy, which should make him the #1 this year.

Making Triple H #1 seems like the old Eric Bishoff slogan of 'Controversy Creates Cash'

Poor Jericho. He's had the best 12 month period of his career, and he STILL can't beat HHH.

To be fair, from a kayfabe perspective (and that's all this is, was, and ever will be), HHH has been the top guy over the last year. I never thought the guy could stay this long as a face, but the fans keep cheering him. There may not be much love for him here on The W, but there sure is in the arenas, where I can't even recall a mixed reaction.

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Originally posted by InVerseOkay, I've been coming to this board for.. apparently 7 years, now, according to my profile... and I've read this list every year. This year, being the first time that I've actually paid a lot of attention to the (relatively) local indies, I actually know a few people on the list. Which causes me to wonder... Is there actual criteria as to who gets on the list? Is it just PWI randomly selecting the workers and putting them in some semblance of order? I'm not bitching about the order or anything, just curious.

I've always wondered that as well. How do they decide that Shawn "Lawman" Williams, from the AIWF and TIWF is #499, and Shockwave the Robot, from ZERO 1 is #500?

Originally posted by kentishPoor Jericho. He's had the best 12 month period of his career, and he STILL can't beat HHH.

To be fair, from a kayfabe perspective (and that's all this is, was, and ever will be), HHH has been the top guy over the last year. I never thought the guy could stay this long as a face, but the fans keep cheering him. There may not be much love for him here on The W, but there sure is in the arenas, where I can't even recall a mixed reaction.

Didn't he get the "Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" treatment at one of the PPV's this year?

385 --- Egotistico FantasticoPossibly my favorite random indie worker. He's been on some of the SHIMMER and ROH preshows. Being introduced at weighing a "million billion tons" and from "Berwyn, Mexico" always entertains me. I don't know that his work justifies even being in the top 500, but he is ridiculously entertaining in the ring as the most luchariffic pasty white luchador this side of El Generico.

417 414 The Stro, is still quite active here in the West Virginia area. Currently, the NWA Mountain State Heavyweight champion and opening his own wrestling school back in North Carolina, he travels to shows almost every weekend. Probably one the most active wrestlers in the 400-500 range of the PWI 500. Well respected veteran of the mat wars among most locker rooms.